Sydney Rare Book Auctions

Our June 7^th auction was a resounding success, with a clearance rate of 95% and some fantastic results achieved. We had a lot of online bidding to accompany a busy saleroom, this inturn led to an exciting sale.

A selection of sale highlights includes a 1st edition Phillip’s Voyage to Botany Bay 1789 ($4,500), Hunter’s Journal ($3,200) and an 1896 Book on Tattooing ($875). Our maps proved to be hugely popular with several of them selling for well above the estimate. These include an 1803 Map of the Indian Ocean ($2,300), 1838 Arrowsmith Map ($1,600), Stanford’s Map of Australasia ($2,200) a 1606 Map with Terra Australis ($4,000) and a 1799 Map of New Holland ($1,200).

While the above is a listing of the upper end of the auction results, there were also plenty of bargains to be nabbed by the savvy buyer! As always the fine bindings and antiquarian lots proved to be popular, as did the indigenous titles.

The next auction is scheduled for the end of July and will include an array of medical, Australiana, antiquarian, bindings, maps, early prints and more.

Another successful auction was held on Feb 22nd, with a variety of books on subjects ranging from art and Aboriginal Australian, to antiquarian, medical and law. Highlights included Strehlow Songs of Central Australia selling for $2,000, an 1831 broadsheet Testimonial To George Augustus Robinson reaching $2,000, a set of Art in Australia reaching $3,000 and a beautiful Eighteenth Century Compass and Sun Dial realising $550.

The clearance rate was approximately 90%, showing strong interest in the auction and great value for both vendors and buyers alike. We would like to thank all of those that attended or bid online and look forward to seeing you at our next sale.